Unexpected Turns

Waiting the days

Two months have passed with my preparing of leaving to the sight of war. 1944, I thought, how many more years? Isn't 4 enough already?

I tell people I'm not frightened and will be safe, but I can't guarantee that. I put up a brave front but on the inside am hovering over in fear. Can you believe this, Mary Richards going to war! Mary Jackson going to war! Ha, I haven't used that name in ages, not since I was ten. Seven years ago.

This is wrong, completely wrong. I am a seventeen years old, basically still a child. I'm not suppose to be leaving home like this.

Oh, stop it Mary, you're being way too dramatic.

I wonder how Dick's feeling. I know he seems very pleased and proud of himself, just like his parents, that he's going to war but I know that Dick is also hovering in fear as well. His smile never seems genuine anymore, his face looks as if he is sleep deprived, and he hunches over like a beggar. If those are not signs of fear and worry, I don't know what is.

But Dick is too proud to tell of his real emotions, even if it's easy to see.

Months pass and I spend all my free time with Jerry and the rest going to an army base and learning to defend myself if anything happens.

While I'm with Jerry, we talk and talk as his head rests on my lap or my head rests on his chest while he lays. Each time he would attempt to change my mind, but I always turn his suggestions down. He tells me of his future, what he will plan to do by the end of the year when we return. We talk about how college is starting soon and how he decided to pursue the career of a journalist.

"Why a journalist?"

"Well I know there isn't a big chance that I will be called into joining the baseball league. So I wanted to do something else that I'm passionate about."

I raise my eyebrows, "politics?"

"No, silly, sports. I want to write about sports, work for a place that does that and write about the highlights and points of the game," he explains, "do you get what I'm saying?"

"Yea. Basically a writer for sports."

He nods. And we go on talking making up for the year that will go by.

When I'm at the base, I'm always with my doctor, Dr. Hudson. A tall man with blonde hair and green eyes. He has a peach like complexion and is very handsome. Also an absolute flirt. That is, to the other women.

He is to me, as i am to him, just workers together and good friends from the time we met.

The doctor is the one who teaches us our defenses. How to hold a gun, shoot it, and a little bit of martial arts just to help myself in case I don't have a gun on me. He helps us each by making us shoot at targets and showing us better ways of achieving our goal. And then he taught us how to flip someone over or, if your caught by them, how to escape their grasp by a couple of moves.

-

A week away from the time to leave.

I've learned a lot from Dr. Hudson and caught up on a lot from Jerry.

Dick is getting anxious and I am too. It's as if life is really noticeable at this time.

Dad and mom are proud of me but don't want me to go. They try every last attempt to stop me from going but nothing is working. Not as long as Dick stays there.

I assure them I will be back soon enough and that I will send a letter to them every time they send me one.

"It's too late now," I always say.